Hermits

In Philadelphia, there is a guy I know who is a Hermit, not by any label that has been attached to him, but an Ordained Hermit of the Catholic Church. His name is Richard, the last time I saw him was down at the Italian Market in South Philly. Through my father, many years before we had met. Dad had a friend who had squatted a house up in the Badlands of North Philly. These were old abandoned row houses, Tax Liens attached. One could squat in a house, after some time had passed, make an offer to pay the lien, and gain Title. My Fathers friend had just got that Title and the house needed a lot of work. Dad had just gotten back from South Carolina, and was looking for something to keep him busy, until the Golf opened up. It was early March, we got snow into April that year. We started in on this house, it was a real mess, the Neighborhood was strange, in all this Nastiness of North Philly, here was a Couple Blocks of Nice. There was a Movement going on, i’d come to find out, just a small part of a Larger Web, all things are connected. Almost all the houses on these blocks were squatted, Community Activism at work, an Artist was in the Neighborhood, Lilly Yea, she brought Dance to the Community, she built Outdoor Stages on Open Space, opened, by her efforts with city hall, to have condemned buildings removed, have the land given for use as parks, to the community. Throughout this Neighborhood there is Art, Mosaic Murals through the Alleys, Sculpture Planted among the Trees. if I were to become a Hermit, I think I’d go to North Korea, sure am glad President Clinton isn’t a Hermit, he came back! I met Grocho years ago, he said his plans were to leave for North Korea in the Morning and he was Never Coming Back, never heard from him again. It was at the Bean one morning, talking with harvey, I mentioned that I had run into this guy in the Italian Market, that I hadn’t seen him in years. Harvey Finkle is a Photographer from Philadelphia who’s Work Concerns Social Issues, so our conversations generally had a Photographic Slant to them. I started telling Harvey about having my Power Supply rebuilt by this guy in North Philly years before. The point I was trying to make, was of any person in the world that I might run into, this guy would be my number one choice. Richard has this aura of goodness that surrounds him. When I met him, he prayed, and he helped, he helped in anyway, anyone who crossed his path. There is a Church in North Philly, Saint Malacys. This is an old Irish parish, where all the Irish, long ago had left. They had all moved off to the Suburbs, but still had ties to the Parish. This church has the History of Immigrants poured into its foundation. The neighborhood had changed through the years, what stayed the same, still it was a neighborhood of immigrants. Hard to find a Christian in these blocks, let alone Catholic, the Arch Diocese felt the Church should close. Father Mac felt different, he was driven to tend his flock, these people were poor, they needed some comfort. Through donations from the Irish in the Suburbs, he kept the Church and School opened. A lot happened at that Church, Hagen, the Basketball Priest, would hang out there. He didn’t have a Church, he just floated around the City, finding two kids each year to get into College on there Basketball Talent. He would bird dog there Studies, so at the end they had Solid Degrees. This was the man who brought Gathers and Kimbell through school. So while talking with Harvey, I find out he knows this guy Richard Withers. That Richard has been involved with the Poor in North Philly, the same Poor of Harveys Photography. Richard is an Ordained Hermit of the Catholic Church. How many people can say they know a Bonnified Hermit, just the name would suggest It might be beyond ones reach. I love it when I run into this guy, for someone who isn’t supposed to have any fun, he sure smiles a lot. He can come out to gather his food, he can come out to help, he can get into some trouble if he appears to be having fun. He prays a lot, a shrine takes up most of his house, a house that he squatted. I think he was one of the first to settle on these blocks. ————————————————– Diary of a City Priest. John P McNamee. What I think won’t buy you a cup of coffee, but this is an important book!!!!!